Chapter 23
The farm village of Marah was the saddest sight Rose had seen in a long while. She could tell that it once must have been a quaint little farm village, but it looked so run down now.
“What happened to make this place so miserable Logan?” Rose asked, no longer holding the big man’s hand but still walking close to him.
“Marah is right in the path of the main slaving route to Goram,” Logan answered. “For years now the servants of Belial have been taking our children away to be sacrificed on his vile altar. Everyone has either moved away, or been taken.”
“The only people here now are either too old to bother with, or crazy,” Jirah interjected. “I’m sure that there is still a pub in town though and if we ask around, maybe we can find out when the last caravan went through.”
It did not take long for the group to find the local tavern because it was the only building that had any activity surrounding it.
“I will go in and see if anyone knows about the slave caravan,” Jirah instructed.
“Good idea,” Logan noted. “These locals will probably not talk to a white eyed Cleric or an armour clad knight.”
“I’m gonna look around this town if that’s ok,” Jer said, curious as ever.
“Go ahead Jer, just stay out of trouble,” Logan instructed. “Keep your hands out of other people’s pockets too.”
“Logan!” the little thief responded with a sly grin. “I wouldn’t think of it.”
“Somehow I don’t really believe that boy,” Gaost said as he watched the Jerhard slip away around a corner.
“He’ll be fine I’m sure,” Rose said. “He can take care of himself.”
A good number of men were coming and going from the taverns in various states of drunkenness and for the most part they simply ignored the group of travelers, but one man in particular came out and took immediate notice of Rose.
“Now there is a sight for my hungry eyes,” the filthy man said moving closer to Rose. “Have you come back to old Billy for some good lovin’ Red?” The vile man came in behind Rose and gave her a sharp smack on her behind, making her jump in surprise.
In seconds, the iron gauntlet of Logan’s right hand was tightly gripped around the drunkard’s throat.
“You are mistaken friend,” Logan said in a calm yet menacing voice. “I am going to let go of your neck and you are going to leave us alone. Understood?”
Once the big knight let go of the man’s neck, he fell to the ground and stumbled away with wide eyes of fear.
“Sorry Rose,” Logan said with a frown. “Perverts make me angry.”
Rose smiled slightly and answered her new defender, “That’s alright brother. It is nice to have someone around that looks out for me. Just don’t kill everyone that looks funny at me, ok?”
They only had to wait a few minutes more and Jirah came out with her head shaking and told them, “None of these letches are sober enough to remember their names let alone give up information about the slave caravan.”
“Is there anyone in town that can help us?” Rose asked. “Someone who is not so drunk?”
“I seem to remember there being a priest of Ya that lived here at one time,” Logan answered. “Looking at the state of the temple, I am not so sure.”
They all looked to where the knight was pointing to see a charred building on the main street.
Moments later, the small figure of Jer popped in behind Jirah and she nearly jumped out of her skin when he spoke up. “There is a crazy old guy just down the alley over here that may know something.”
“You have got to stop jumping out at me like that son,” Jirah said, socking the boy firmly on his shoulder.
“Sorry J,” he said with a grin. “Old habits die hard I guess.”
“Show us were this old man is Jer,” Goast said, smiling at the relationship that was building between the huntress and the orphan boy.
“Follow me,” Jer said quickly and he was off down the street in a flash. They passed many abandoned houses on their way through the deserted streets and arrived at the entrance to a rickety little shack with an old man sitting on the front step. When the elderly man saw the group approaching, he smiled a big, toothless grin and looked directly at Rose when he spoke.
“My eyes have seen the glory of Ya’s promised healer! Praise to the Eternal One.”
Rose reached over to the dear old man with her right hand and gently touched his cheek as she offered up a blessing. “May our heavenly Father strengthen your body and soul my dear brother.”
The aging priest blushed slightly and he bowed his robed head to receive the blessing, then he responded to the group in a calm voice, “Ya has sent you to me for my help, and I am humbled to be of service after so many years of waiting in the darkness.”
“It has been too long since we last prayed together Elius,” Gaost said, moving over to take the arm of the weary priest. “Please have a seat while we ask you some questions.”
Rose took a seat right next to the man, still feeling the need to give him some of her strength so she put an arm around him in support.
“We are looking for the slave caravan that passes through this area brother,” Logan said. “Have they passed through Marah recently?”
“Just yesterday,” the priest responded. “I was in the middle of my noon prayer time when Ya spoke to me. I have not received direct instruction from the Eternal One for a long time, so I was happy to do his bidding. When I heard that he wanted me to confront that evil group of men as they passed through the town square though, I was frightened. What would stop them from killing a frail old man like me?”
Rose showed her concern by clasping the man’s hand and rubbing it softly. He looked up into her pretty face and continued with his story. “Ya did not say anything more to me, so I determined in my mind that I would face these men no matter what the cost. Maybe this would be my last service to my god before I die. When I saw the slave cart rolling down the main street, my spirit was inflamed with anger against Belial and all the evil I have seen throughout my many years in this forsaken town. They must have thought me a crazy person, because I really let them have it.”
A smile came to the face of Logan as he pictured this diminutive figure of a man standing in defiance against such overwhelming odds.
“What happened gramps?” Jer asked urgently, enraptured by the old man’s tale. “Did they attack you?”
Jirah cuffed the young boy slightly on the head for the ‘gramps’ remark, but Jer could tell by her crooked grin that she was not too upset with him.
“Yes my son,” Elius answered. “I stood strong and fast like the mighty Cleric Gaost would in the face of evil.”
That remark made everyone smile. Even the stoic Gaost himself could not help but laugh.
“They came at me all right, but I stood my ground as they approached, weapons drawn,” the priest said.
Now all eyes were fixed on Elius, and Jer was nearly jumping out of his skin in anticipation.
“Ya protected me from every blow and the attackers were thrown back on to their behinds by an unseen force. Oh how it made me laugh.”
“That is so awesome!” Jer said, now jumping to his feet in excitement. “What did they do then? Did they keep on trying to kill you?”
“They were all is such a daze after feeling the mighty power of the creator, that they left town immediately.”
“Do you remember the direction they were heading brother?” Jirah asked.
“I am sure they were on the way to the coast, so you should be able to find them on the road to Goram,” the priest answered.
“Do you remember seeing a young girl with them father?” Rose asked, still gently rubbing the old man’s back. “We hope to save her in answer to her prayers.”
“Yes. I did catch the eye of a young woman who was shackled in the rolling slave pen,” the man answered, looking directly into Rose�
�s green eyes. “There was still a fire in her spirit and I could tell that she had not been with them long.”
“Your words must have awakened a yearning in her heart and she cried out to Ya for help.” Goast said nodding his head. “You have done well brother.”
“I am just glad to be of service to my god after so many years of living in this evil town. I hope that you can save her.”
“Nothing can stop us,” Logan said in open defiance against the enemy. “We will go at once in the power of Ya to do his bidding.”
Rose gave the aging man a tender kiss on the cheek before rising up with the others. “Thank you for your help dear brother,” she said.
“It is I that should thank Ya’s chosen healer for being my comfort this day,” Elius spoke with tears pooling in his bright eyes. “I feel as if your touch made me ten years younger.”
“We would ask that you continue to pray for us Elius,” Goast said, clasping the man’s shoulder in a show of support. “We go to retrieve the Staff of Ramah so that the Chosen One may heal to her full potential.”
“Then go in the power of the Eternal One,” Elius said with a firm voice. “The enemy surely must fall as you trust in him to be your strength.”
It took some effort for the group to leave this sweet old man behind, but if they wanted to catch up with the slaver caravan, then they had to be on their way.
As they left, Rose took more than a few glances back to see the smiling face of Elius. She felt such a deep sense of fulfilment now because of her newfound ability to comfort those in need.
“That old guy was cool,” Jer said, jumping up in the group to stride alongside Logan. “I sure hope that we can come back this way and see him again.”
Logan led the way now because he knew the area well, and the pace picked up dramatically as he took long strides towards the unsuspecting slave caravan. There was little discussion among the group of travelers because they were all doing their best to keep up with the big knight. As the day turned into evening however, the whole group began to get weary because they had missed a whole night’s sleep.
“It would seem we are not going to catch up with the caravan today,” said Logan, just realizing that the others were starting to lag behind. “I suppose we should stop and rest for a few hours at least.”
“A bite to eat and a short rest would do us well I think,” Gaost said in agreement. “It should be safe enough just off the road I think.”
“No fire though,” Jirah said. “There are too many unsavoury travelers on this road for my liking.”
They all moved off into the cover of a small glade of birch trees and after a quick meal, the exhausted troop fell into a deep sleep. The only exception was the stoic knight, who chose rather to stand watch over his sleeping friends. As the soft sounds of heavy breathing began in the glade, Logan sank to his knees to offer up a prayer of protection for the group and for the young girl they sought to save.
“Almighty Ya, I praise thee for thy protection thus far on this quest. Thou art faithful and true, and I would request that thou wouldst empower me to also stay faithful and true to thy cause. Be a strength and a shield to this young girl that we seek to save and grant us thy speed in the pursuit of these evil men. I trust in thy guidance and wisdom as I seek to be your agent of change in this fallen world. For the sake of your glory I pray.”
Logan would have prayed much longer, as was his usual practice, but the creator had a different plan. Ya caused the big man to fall into a deep sleep, knowing that he needed to be well rested in order to have enough strength. The unseen, yet ever present shining ones hovered around the small group of faithful believers and each one slept in safety.
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The Staff of Ramah Page 28